Pea-grading machine



2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

www ATTORNEYS.

F. D. CHAPMAN PEA GRADING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1929 Aug. 5, 1930.'

Aug. 5, 1930.

F.v D. CHAPMAN PEA GRADING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1929 2 sheets-sheet '2 Patented Aug. 5, 1930 Urrea '.sTATES Y FRAN-x n. CHAP-MAN, vor BERLIN, WISCONSIN 1?EAernnnrNGr MACHINE Application lled, October 17, 1929. Serial ANo. 400,246.-

This invention relates to improvements in pea grading machines'. y It is to the advantageof the canner in grading peas to separate the peas into different 5 sizes or grades as the smaller sizes aresold for higher vvprices than the larger sizes and the pricesv decrease as the vvpeas' increase in size.' Itis customary ingrading peas to pass them over screens ,having diiferentsized 19 openings, starting with' the smallersize open# ings and gradually increasing in size t0 the larger. Due to the large 'quantity of' peas fed to the first grading-screen many of the smaller sized peas are carried beyond the screen through the perforations of which they are adapted to pass, thus causingpa loss to the canner. V y f It is lone of the objects of the present in vention' to overcome this objectionableffea1 tureand provide a pea grading machine in which the iir'st screen ofthe machine willV separate the smaller size food units from the larger and' then4 independently `'grade .the smaller size units simultaneously withl the regrading and grading of the larger sizefoodV units. I Y 1 A further obj ect `of the inventionl is to provide a pea -grading machine in which aportion of the divided load is regraded in passing through the machine.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a pea grading machine in whichv the dif-7 ferent grades or sizes are separated land discharged from different portions of the ma-k chine. f`

A furthervobj ect of the invention is to pro vide a pea grading machine in which the screen units are all of the same length and diameter to permit .rearrangement with relation toeach other and various combinations of screen perforation sizes.v

1A* further object of the invention is to proe vide a pea grading machine which is of sim-V ple construction and efficient in operationk and 4 is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view.,v the invention consists of the pea grading ma-y chine and its parts and combinations 4asset forth in the claims, Aand all equivalents thereof.Y I

lIn the accompanying drawings'in which the same reference characters indicate the ysame parts in all of the views:

Figi 1 is a side view,parts vin section, of the improved pea grading machine;

Fig. 2 is a front end lview thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view there# of taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings `the numeral 8V indicates the main frame which is 'of ,rec-y tangular form in ycross section. lThe upperv Vportion '9 ofthe frame --inclines downwardly rearwardly and supplemental framemembers 10 incline downwardly inthe same direction. Said last mentioned framel members4 are located intermediate-the height of the frame.

Four uppershafts llare journaledon the f upper portion of the framejand incline downward-ly,r rearwardly in the same planetas the frame partsand 'have lfast thereon in equidistantly spaced relation supporting'rollers 12.- The inner rollers are grooved while the outer end rollers are plain or ungrooved. .AV line of open ended drums 13,14, 15, 16, 17, 18k and 19 inf endwise abutting relation are? positioned-between each pair ofy 'upper shafts y11 andare provided with flanged ani nular end portions 1S. .The drums are all of the fsalme length' and the end iia'nges of adjacent drums abut each other and extend inpairsinto the grooves of the rollersr 12 while the 'outer end flanges of the opposite end drums extendy on the vouter sides of the outer lrollers 12. The rollers of each pair of shaftsare-closer togetherthan the diameter of the annular flanged ends so that the lines of drums are supported on said rollers in an inclined position. i l Other pairs of shafts 11 journaledxin spaced relation onthesupplemental frame 10 and extending longitudinally with relation to the frame and at a downward, rearward inclination', have rollers v2()l mounted fast thereon Supplemental drums 14', 15', and llhaving annular end flangedportions 23 are supported on the rollers 20 and-abut each other in endwise relation in the same mannerr as the drums thereabove.

The body portions 24 offall of the drums between the annular end parts are formed of perforated metal and the diameters of the perforations of the upper drums increase 1/32 of an inch in size from the second drum from the front or inlet to the rear of the machine along each line of drums, the first of said mentioned line of drums preferably having perforations 9/32 of an inch in diameter and therear upper drum 19 having perforations of 14/32 of an inch in diameter. Drum 14 having the smaller size openings will regrade and separate No.1 grade peas from the larger sizes, drum 15 the No. 2 grade, drum 16 the No. 3 grade, drum 17 the No. 4 grade, drum 18 the No. v5 grade, and drum 19 the No. 6 grade from the No. 7 which will bevdischarged from the rear end of the drum 19. The upper front drums 13, which may be termed the load splitting or dividing drums, are formed with perforations 12/32 of an inch in diameter to permit the greater part of the Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 peas to be discharged Y therethrough and intothe drums 14 below to divide the load.

One shaft of each pair of upper shafts 11 is rotated by a bevel gear connection 25 with an upper transverse driving shaft 26 having a belt wheel 2.7 mounted thereon, and one of the lower shafts 19 of each pair has a sprocket chain and wheel driving connection 28 with the upper shafts 11 and is driven thereby. Said lower shafts are connected together in pairs by sprocket chain and wheel connecti0ns28.` Y 'Y Hoppers 29 positioned in front of the forward ends of the drums 13 feed peas or other food particles into said drums 13 and the downward rearward inclination and the rotation of the Adrums cause the peas t0 travel through the drums and be separated by dropping through the perforations which vary in size in the upper' lines of drums until finally the No. or largest size peas are discharged from the rear ends of the drums 19 and into the discharge spouts 30 located at said drum en s. Y

Hoppers 31 partly surrounding the Vlower portions of the dividing drums 13 have discharge spouts 32 which extend downwardly and into` the front ends' of the supplemental drums 14 to direct the mixed Nos. 1, 27 3 and 4 peas divided from the mass in the drums 13 Linto said supplemental-drums 14 and thus relieve the drums14, 15 and 16 from portions of the load and thereby prevent possible injury to the smaller and more tender` peas due to weightv of a lar-ge mass, while at the same time y eXpediting the separation of the peas. The lower drum 14 is formed with' 9/32 diameter perforations to separateNo. 1 grade peas, drum 15 has 10/32 perforations to separate No.2 grade peas, and drum 16 has 11/32 perforations to separate No. 3 grade from the No. 4 grade peas as indicated in Fig. 1. The lower drums arepreferably respectively positioned below the upper drums with correspondingly sized perforations so that the peas passing from the upper regrading drums can flow into the lower hoppers for corresponding grade sizes.

Hoppers 33 partly surrounding the lower portions of the drums 14 have discharge openings 34 therein through which No. 1 peas screened throughY the drums 14 are discharged. Hoppers 35 partly surround the lower portions of the drums 15 and have discharge openings 36 for the No. 2 peas screened through the drums 15. Hoppers 37 eX- tending around the lower portions of drums 16 have discharge openings 38 through which No. 3Vpeas from the drums 16 pass. The No. 4 peas from the drums16 pass through said drums and are discharged therefrom through spouts 33.

The upper drums 14, 15 and 16 respectively have hoppers 39, 40 and 41 and s pouts 42, 43 and 44 which extend downwardly between the lower drums and are connected respectively to the hoppers 33, 35 and 37 directlyubeneath which ,receive the same grade peas as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. rlhe remaining upper drums 17, 1S and 19 respectively have hoppers 45, 46 and 47 and spouts 48, 49 and 50 for receiving the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 grade peas which are screened throughA the respective drums mentioned. v

The spouts 38 Yfrom the drums 16- are connected to the spouts 48. lRollers V51` and 52 bearing against' the upper portionsof the drums serve to maintain the drums in yposition on the rollers 12 and 2O.'`

' As the drums are all of the saine. length and 'diameter exceptdrum 13 they are easilyl interchangeable to-provide various combina-- tions of sizes or grades. y l g Vhilethe greater number of the Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 grade peas will pass through the perforations of thedividingdrum 13,;a` few will not and these will pass longitudinally through the drum and into the next succeeding drums 14', 15 and 16 to be further regraded, so'that when the peas reach the No.5 screens all of the Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 will have been screened from the mass flowing throughthe drums.

It is to'be understood that while the machine shown is of the double type, one longitudinal half section may be used, or any coinbination of or number of drums maybe used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will also be understood that while the machine has been shown and described as a machine for grading peas, the diameterof the druin'perforations and position. of the drums may be-changed to grade other food products as desire-d.

Y From the foregoing description it will be seen that the first drums divide the loads received Aand a predetermined proportion of each load is separated and diverted to a line of gradingpdrums positioned below the first mentioned drums, thus relieving the upper drums of gradingall of the load, and furthermore providing. a more complete sepa-ration of. the smaller and. more valuable peas from the larger. g j i What I claim asniy inventionis: j l. A food unit grading machine, comprising. two lines'of food unit size grading screens, and a foodunit dividing screen positionedto receive astreain of ,food runits and to divide the streaml into twoy parts, one/of the parte which .passes through the di,vidiiigk screen containing substantially l,allkofthe larger size units which are directedinto one of thelines of screens k:tor regrading toz remove any* remaining smaller size units yfrom the larger size vunits and for grade size separationoi the larger size units, the other part ofthe streamwhich passes. through thevperforations of the dividing screen and. containing the smaller size units being directed intof the other line of drums for grade size separation,y

, 2. A food unit gradinginachine, comprising lines of rotarytscreen drums,V one line being positionedfabove the other and the perfo; rations 'of the screens of the front drums bef ingof smaller diameterv than theperforations of the screens of .thenent succeeding drums, hoppers Jfor receiving t* units discharged through the screensof said drums,` aload di-4 viding rotary screen drum positioned to discharge unscreened food units of the larger size into the iirst of the upper line oiiy drums for regrad-ing` to remove any remaining smaller size unitsfronithe''largerv and 4for grade size separation of the largerA units,` and a! hoppera'djacent the load dividingidruin. for directing the y'smallerws'ize units screened through the dividing ldrum screen, into the lower line of drums forfurt'hergrading,.f,

40 3. Alfood unit grading machina,compris.-`

ing a'i'rame, a line of downwardlyjinclined rotary screen drums journaled thereon in endwise relation, another .line of. lower downwardly inclined rotary screen drums ljouirnaled on the frame inendwisel relation, the

perforations of each succeedingkr drum being of greater diameter than those of the preced-` ing drums, a load dividing screen drum positioned adj acentA the vupper Vfront 'drum, and j through which the largest size "food uiiits'pa'ss'y beforey entering the upper .line of'I druins` the perforations'o'f said load dividing drumheing larger than'the perforations of the next succeeding drum forseparating the smaller size units from' the' l'argerj means for feeding foodiunits' into' the dividingdrum,y and means for receiving the divided smaller 'size food uni-ts screened through lthe dividing drun'i and directing vthem into the line of lower' d'r'ui'nsN vrdividing'druin,` some of they upper driinisregrading the units to remove any remaining smaller size units from the larger,y and means for receiving the divided smal-ler sizey lfood units screened through the dividing drumand directing them intothe line of lower drums toibefurther divided. f j 1 5. A iood unit grading machine',` comprising a frame, aline of downwardly `inclined rotary screen drums journaled thereon in end- Tvise relation and having screen perforar-tions which increase in size from the front drumv towards the rear drum, other lowerlfdownwardly inclinedkrotary screen drums jour- .naled'v on the frame, aload Vdividing'screen drum journaled on the frame in front of and in axial alinement with the upper drums and having screen perforations of larger size than the'perforations` of the next adjacent upper screen for separating the smaller sizejunits from thelarger, means-for feeding food units into the dividing drum, some of the'upper drums regrading the units to remove any remaining smaller size unitsffromfthelarger, 100 and a rhopper Sbelow the load dividing drum for directing the smallerv size units divided by said load dividing drum into the first lower drum for gradeseparation.

ing a frame, a line of downwardly inclined rotary screendrums v journaled thereon in endwise relation, another line of lowery downwardly inclined rotary screen drums jourv naledA on the frame in endwise relation,x the ilo perforations ofeach succeeding ydrum being of greater diameter than thepreceding drums;

a load dividing screen drum positioned acljacent the upper front drum andwthrough which the larger, size i'ood units `pass ybeit-ore 115 entering the upper line of drums,- the perorationsof said load ldividing d-runi being larger than the perforations of the next suc; ceeding drumrfor separating the smaller size 6. A food unit grading machine, compris- `105 units from .the larger, a hopper 'for feeding 120` rotary screen drums journaled thereon and arranged for food units to pass from one to the other, another line of lower; downwardly inclined rotary screen drums journaled on the frame and arranged for tood'units to pass from one to the other, the perforations of each succeeding drum being of greater diameter than the preceding drums, a load dividing rotary screen drum positioned adjacent the upper front drum and through which the larger size food units pass before entering the upper line of drums, the perforations of said load dividing drum corresponding in-size to the perforations of one ot the intermediate drums to dividethe smaller size Vunits from the larger in passing through the drum, a hopper' :tor feeding food units into the dividing drum, some of the upper drums regrading the units to remove any remaining smaller siz-e units from the larger, a hopper' extending around the lower portion of the dividing drum and having a spout extending into the iirst of the line of drums below for receiving the smaller size' food units, and hoppers for the other drums for receiving the food units screened therethrough 8. A food unit gradino machine, comprising two lines of rotary downwardly inclined food unit size grading screen drums, a rotary downwardly inclined `tood -unit dividing screen drum positioned to receive a stream of food units and to divide substantially all of the smaller size units from the larger, the larger size units which pass through the dividing drum being directed into one of the lines of drums for regrading to remove any remaining smaller size units romthe larger and for grade size separation of the larger size units, the smaller size units which pass through the perforations of' the dividing drum screen being directed into the other "line of drums for grade -size separation torelieve the first line of drums of a portion of the load, and hoppers for the drums of the diierent lines for receiving the separated units.

9. A food unit grading machine, comprising an upper and a lower line of rotary downwardly inclined food unit size grading screen drums, an upper rotary downwardly inclined'` Jfood unit dividing screen drum positioned to receive a stream of food units and to divide substantially all of the-'smaller units from the larger, the larger size units which pass through the dividing drum being directed into the upper line ot drums for regrading to remove any remaining smaller size units from the larger and for grade size separation of the larger units, the smaller size units which pass through the perforations of the dividing drum screen being directed into the lower line ot drums tor grade size separation to relieve the upperline of drums of a portion of the load, and hoppers for the drums of the upper and lower lines forreceiving the separated units.

vide the stream into two parts, one of the parts containing substantially all of the larger size units and Vbeing directed into one of the lines of streams for grade size separation, and the other part containing all ofV the smaller, size units which passed through the perforations of the dividing screen andV being Vdirected into the other line of drums for grade size separation, some of the drums of the line ot drums for the larger size units also regrading the units to separate any remaining smaller size units therefrom.

1l. A food unit regrading machine, comprising two lines of food unit size grading screens, a screen for dividing food` units of a plurality of grade-sizes into vtwopait-s and directing the part having the larger size units into one of the lines of screens for regrading Vto remove any remaining smaller size units and further grade size separation, the other part having the smaller size units being directed into the other line of screens for Jfurther grade size separation, and hoppers for the screens, some of the hoppers for one of the line of screens directing their food units into some ofthe hoppers of the other line of screens. Y v l 12. A food unit grading machine, comprising two lines ,of food unit size 'grading screens,v a food unit dividing screen positioned` to receive a stream of food units and to divide the stream in two parts, one of the parts which passes through the dividing screen containing substantially ally of the larger size units which are directed into one oi': the lines of screenl for regrading to re- .movel anyv remaining smaller size units from the largerV size units and-for grade size separation of the larger size units, the other part of the stream which passes through the perorations of the dividing screen and containing the smaller size units being directed into the other line of drums for grade size separation, and means for combining the food units of like sizes from both parts of the stream offood units.

13. Atood; unit grading machine, comprising two linesnof food unit size grading screens, a food unit dividing screen positioned. to receive a stream of food units and to dividethe stream in two parts, one ofthe parts which passes through the dividing screen containing substantially all of the larger size units which are directed into one of the v lines of screen for regrading to remove any remaining smaller size units'from` the larger size units andvfor grade size separation of the larger size units, the other part of the stream which passes through the perforations of the dividingy screen and containing the smaller size units being directed into the other line of drums for grade size separa tion, and means for combining the food units of like sizes from both parts of the stream of food units into one Volume by gravity.y

In testimony whereof, Iv aiitix my signature.

FRANK D. CHAPMAN 

